


Broken Wings Still Fly

by LegendaryDefenderSOX



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Hunk (Voltron) is so Pure, Hurt Lance (Voltron), Hurt/Comfort, Lance (Voltron) Needs a Hug, Langst, M/M, Support, Team Bonding, Whump, Winged Lance (Voltron), Wingfic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-17
Updated: 2019-02-04
Packaged: 2019-07-13 14:45:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16020092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LegendaryDefenderSOX/pseuds/LegendaryDefenderSOX
Summary: The paladins had been a group for well over two years. They respected, cared for, and protected each other as fiercely as if they were family. However, even the best of families and relationships can hold secrets that are nigh impossible to unlock. The Voltron family was no different. They did not know why Lance hid his wings, why he refused to nest with them or to fly with them. Each member has their own theories as to why the blue paladin hides, however, none of them know the real reason why. That is, until something unforeseeable gets in the way.





	1. Flying High without a Doubt

**Author's Note:**

> This is a new fic that I have had an idea for a while. I hope you enjoy! Help is always appreciated.

** Broken Wings Still Fly **

Chapter 1: Flying High without a Doubt

Lance sat with his feet dangling from the edge of the cliff, wings spread out high and behind him. He felt the wind course chill fingers through his feather and hair. About 80 ft below him sat the white sands of Varadero beach, glistening in the sunlight. His siblings and cousins flew nearby, the oldest ones circling below Lance to ensure his safety. Lance smiled to himself and thought about what Varadero had been like before people changed, when people swam and climbed. When people were wingless.

Varadero had to have been amazing. A million tourists flocked there each day to bask in the warm sun and swim at the beach. People used to climb the cliffs and find a thrill in knowing there were no wings to catch them in they fell. That was hundreds of years ago, and Lance only knew about it thanks to his history teacher. Now Varadero was merely a small town with a few hundred people left. The few loyal families that refused to leave with the crowd.

Lance shook himself out of his thoughts and braced himself in preparation to leap. After all, Lance was finally 8, just old enough with wings just big enough to carry him in the sky. He was excited to finally use his wings for something other than to lift him a couple inches off the ground. With a deep breath, Lance pushed himself off and fell through the sky, wind hurtling by and beating his face.

He spread his wings and pushed panic away. With a few beats, he was no longer falling but flying. Wild woops could be heard around him as his siblings and cousins all congratulated him on his flight. Flying was a pretty big milestone in any young hatchlings life, and one of the most celebrated at the McClain household. Lance swooped through the air and felt the wind touch his face, no longer beating it harshly.

Lance’s mama called for them to all retreat from the cliffs and go home for dinner. Lance was tired despite only flying a few minutes. He had to admit it was exhausting work, kinda like when a person goes running. Once he built up strength, maybe he could fly for days. The sky called to him, and he wanted to answer that call as much as he could. What he didn’t know was that something else called him as well. Something that he would answer later, when they sky rejected him.

7 years later Lance found himself standing in front of the Garrison, holding his papers and dressed in the same outfit he normally wore. A white T-shirt, oversized jacket that had been passed down through the family, and a simple pair of jeans. Best part, it was in regulation that everyone attending the Garrison must wear the issued uniform, designed to keep wings in check and hidden. Lance didn’t have to worry about hiding them because everyone would be. A lifesaver in a world full of stormy seas.

It did not take long before Lance dropped his bags off at his shared dorm, he still had to meet the fellow who he shared it with, and to head to the auditorium. All students were gathering there for the orientation, as well as for schedules and other important activities. Lance sat as far back as he could, still paranoid about his well-hidden wings. He knew it was irrational, he knew it very well, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that someone would figure out that something was up. A stern looking man walked up to the mic and began to speak.

“Listen up cadets, today most of you are starting off your first year at the Garrison, and freshmen year in a high school of any sort. You are the best that has been offered from your previous schools, and we expect you all to live up to those expectations. It will not be easy. It will not even be moderately difficult. This is going to be one of the hardest things most of you cadets will ever do in your lives. Now, on to the actual orientation. After orientation, you all will meet for dinner in the Cafeteria and then will have the rest of the night to yourselves. Classes start at 09:00 tomorrow.”

Lance felt doubt creep into his mind, like a cool breeze that starts off fine but eventually chills a person down to their bones. What if he wasn’t prepared for this? What would Lance do, and where would he. It’s not like he could just go home if he failed this program, that just was not an option. Lance shook his head. He would make it here if it was the last thing he ever did. Knowing his luck, it just might be.

After orientation and dinner, Lance headed towards his dorm room, wondering if his roommate was settled yet. He hoped that whoever it was that it was a kind person. After all, Lance needed a friend more than he needed anything else at this point. He opened his door to see a larger, dark-skinned man with a yellow headband wrapped around his long brown hair. The man turned and smiled wider than Lance would have ever thought possible. Before Lance could say anything, he was enveloped in a bone-crushing hug. 

“Oh man, I am so glad I get to meet my new roommate. How are you? My name’s Hunk. What’s your name? Oh, I am forgetting my manners, sorry.” Hunk let go of Lance, and he smiled. Lance smiled back and took more not of Hunk. His wings were out, they were allowed to do that in their dorms, just not during the school day. They were massive, a beautiful russet brown color the faded to black near the base. They were open, showing the amount of trust that Hunk relayed in people.

“I'm great man! My name’s Lance, and I think we are going to be really good friends. How are you? Are you nervous for tomorrow, ‘cause I am.” Hunk laughed nervously and smiled wider than before. He let his wings down into a more relaxed state before answering.

“I am so pumped. I was worried when I came here that people would not be very nice, but then I get you as my roommate and this is just amazing. I can’t wait for classes to start, but I don’t think I will do very well.”

“Don’t worry my main man, I think that you are going to do amazing on anything that they throw at you. Call it a gut feeling if you must.”

“Really! You really think that? Wow, you must be like the nicest person here. I can’t wait to see what happens next. By the way, I took bottom bunk, hope you don’t mind.”

“Nah dude, I thought I was going to have to ask you for the top. Thanks for that. Well, I am going to shower up and hit the hay. You best do the same if you want to be in tip-top shape for what tomorrow brings.”

“Of course, of course, you are completely right. Well, I will meet up with you in a bit.” With that Hunk ran off to go through his stuff and grab what he needed to shower. Lance smiled, he really could get used to this life. Maybe one day he could even show his new friend his wings without fear of judgment. Until then, he could live with this life. No matter what tomorrow brings, he knew that he would be prepared.

4 years later, 4 years later and Lance had been in space for 2. He has been in space for two years with his Garrison roommate, his self-proclaimed rival, his mysterious crewmate/friend from the Garrison, and his hero. They were all so amazing and Lance didn’t know how to compare himself to them and all they could do. He was just lucky that he had several skills that were practically unknown to most people from Earth. Climbing, swimming, repelling, all skills that allowed for the illusion of flight. 

The rest of the team was amazing with flight and so much more. Pidge had reddish-tan wings with faint light green streaked haphazardly throughout. Keith had wings that were raven black, showing the faintest red at the tip that could only be seen in a certain lighting. Shiro’s wings were brown-black that faded to white near the tips. There was also white speckling the rest of the wings. All of their wings were so amazing, and they would never know about Lance’s wings.

Allura and Coran were an entirely new story when it came to wings. Alteans evolved in similar conditions, and their wings were similar thanks to it. However, there were a few identifying factors that pointed them out. Their wings were fantastically colored. Allura’s wings were a radiant white with pink stripes throughout. Coran’s were a stunning shade of orange, with blue markings. Aside from the unique coloration manners, their wings matched those of the paladins in type and relative size/shape. 

Lance awoke from his collection of memories, alarms blaring in the castle, signaling for the paladins to get ready and fast. He jumped out of bed with practiced ease, slipped on his flight suit and armor, and was out of the room in record time. He, as well as the rest of the paladins, arrived at the bridge at the same time, Hunk being the latest at about 2 seconds behind the rest. Allura and Coran were standing next to the console, watching as the paladins raced inside. Allura seemed a bit too happy about something.

“I have some wonderful news Paladins!” Allura conveyed cheerfully. This could only mean one thing. “Today we are going to participate in some bonding exercises.” To this, everyone groaned, knowing that bonding exercises were the last thing that anyone wanted to do.

“But princess,” Lance pried. “We are a really solid team. I mean, we have been working together for 2 years and even at this moment, I can tell Keith is not awake, just halfway. Pidge hasn’t slept in 35 hours and is thinking about murder and coffee. Shiro is trying to be supportive of the rest, but he is just as tired. Hunk is happy, and he was two seconds late because he was baking space cookies because he couldn’t sleep. I would say we are pretty well bonded.” The rest of the team nodded agreement.

“That may be all well and good, but a team can never be too bonded. After all, the mice have informed me that this team may not be completely open with one another. They told me no further, not even how they know all this. Anyways, for Voltron to be completely effective, there can not be a single secret left.”

“Little snitches,” Lance muttered under his breath, quiet enough to not really be heard, and even then it would only register as a mumble.

“Yeah but princess,” Hunk started, “I am not sure I want to know every secret. I mean I don’t want to know what Keith does when he isn’t training, even though I am sure it does not entail sleep. I think we are good as is.” The team murmured their thoughts about what Hunk just said, Keith looking momentarily attacked at the statement. 

“Be that as may, there may be a time that comes where being as bonded as possible is crucial to Voltron. I apologize, but the training is one of the best things we can do for the team. That much is not up to discussion. Now, let’s all reconvene on the training deck. Coran has taken the liberty of rewiring the mind meld helmets so they are more extensive and make it harder to hide anything from your teammates.” Lance felt a moment’s fear flutter in his heart but pushed it down knowing that he could do this. They would not know how much of a monster that he truly was.

Everyone walked to the training deck, not really in a hurry to get there fast and learn more about the people they spend every second with. Once inside, they noticed that the mind meld helmets looked pretty much the same, spare for a few more wires here and there. Everyone walked and sat in their respective spots.

“Alright Paladins, please put on your helmets. Coran and I will be watching from the observation tower in the corner, and will be ready to intervene should something happen.” Allura spoke in a manner that was still much too cheery. Of his current teammates, Lance was the only one who happened to have his wings plastered against his back. Everyone else held them out in what seemed like a relaxed expression.

Shiro grabbed his helmet and put it on his head, a determined expression held firmly on his face. One by one, each of the paladins grabbed their own helmets, following Shiro’s actions. Lance was the last one to grab his, but he didn’t want to make the others wait too much longer. He cleared his thoughts, letting nothing enter or leave his mind. He could do this! No one would have to know why Lance was the way he was, nor would they ever. This was his chance to show he could do something right.

There was a flood of thoughts and emotions that ran through his head the second his helmet was on. Hunk’s anxiety, Pidge’s curiosity, Keith’s headstrong attitude, and Shiro’s carefully placed calmness. It was this calmness that soon seeped through, silencing everyone’s thoughts. All was calm, the calm before the storm. After that, Lance felt a prickling from the helmet, somehow feeling more relaxed and open than before.

Lance felt happy as a cheerful memory of his first flight blazed in his mind. He saw his wings, the way they used to look. Happy, bold, and strong. Lance watched and felt the others notice the happy memory, as he dipped through the sky. Lance moved on to think about the first time he climbed the cliffs, jacket on his back and wings are hidden again. He watched as he climbed and climbed, stumbling here and there. A rush ran through his head.

Then, Lance felt his mind change settings again. Lance focused on why he was climbing that cliff, and why he never showed his wings anymore. The rain was swirling around him in a dizzying blur, not enough to stop the fire from engulfing him. It was confusing, to see the rain barely simper down the embers. Lance crawling through the remains of his house, looking for something, no, someone.

Lance pushed and pushed in his mind, crawling his way out of the stupor before too much more happened. He distantly felt his hands grab the helmet and ripped it off his head before there was too much more. Tears were gathered in his eyes and he saw others look up from the sudden breach in connection to Lance. He felt fear patter his heart and he ran as fast as he could from the training deck.

“They can’t know, they can’t know, they can’t know” Lance chanted to himself mentally as he ran. He ignored the calls of his teammates as he struggled to escape from them and what they saw. He turned corner after corner, no longer hearing voices or footsteps behind him. Lance stopped in front of a closet in the empty hall. It looked unused which was great. Lance stepped inside, closed the door, and hoped that his team would never find him again. 


	2. Chapter 2: Cracking at the Seams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know you guys have asked for more, hope this helps. Feel free to provide any new feedback and help me out.

Chapter 2: Cracking at the Seams

Lance sat in the small closet for vargas, hidden in the silence. At some point, Lance had fallen asleep with his head resting on his knees. He didn’t wake up again until he had heard voices in the distance. They were talking amongst each other with an occasional yell of his name, asking for him to come out. Lance did not. Instead, he realized that Coran and Hunk were out there, searching for him since he had run off without a trace.

“Coran, where do you think he could be? Do you think he’s lost? What if he got hurt and there was no one around to help him?” Lance heard Hunk talk through the door. He felt terrible for making his friend worry and wanted to go out to comfort him. However, fear glued him to the spot, preventing him from running out and giving Hunk the largest hug he could. 

“Don’t worry Number 2,” Lance heard Coran say, “We will find him soon. After all, this is one of the last three halls, meaning that he is here somewhere. Now let’s check out this closet and be on our way.” Lance’s heart shrank, knowing that this was the only closet in the hall. He felt frantic and began clawing around the small room, looking for an exit. Lance was trapped, and there was no way he was going to get out of here. Nonetheless, he kept searching for something, ignorant of the door opening behind him.

“LANCE!” Shouted Hunk, pleased beyond belief that he had found his friend. Lance turned around, tears streaming down his face. He sat down and tucked his head on his knees and wrapped his arms around them, making himself as small as possible. Large, warm arm wrapped around him, the person whispering mutterances of comfort. Lance leaned in subconsciously to the touch and allowed himself to be comforted.

“Hey man,” Hunk said, “You think you can walk and come with us to the lounge? This closet isn’t exactly a sofa if you know what I mean.” Lance nodded and stood shakily, head bowed. He leaned heavily against Hunk, barely supporting his own weight. He was tired, and all of this hiding only made worse. Soon the team was at the entrance to the lounge; Pidge, Keith, Allura, and Shiro having been notified by Coran that Lance had been found.

The lounge was really an oversized nest room, with sofas against the walls and a giant nest in the middle. The nest was a mixture of pillows, an Altean foam-like substance, blankets, and a few mattresses. It was the center of group preening sessions (Lance never joined for obvious reasons), relaxation after missions, and a few other activities. Hunk helped Lance to sit down in the nest, meanwhile sitting next to him. 

Lance curled up small again, moving to lie on his side and rest his head in Hunk’s lap. The other team members slowly gathered round making a sort of circle around Lance and Hunk. To say the team was confused would be an understatement. Lance’s memories had struck them as odd, and the last one to fly by was concerning. Then Lance’s abrupt leaving of the meld had been shocking. They wanted to know what was up with Lance and why he was so secluded, why he never showed his wings, and why he never preened with the team.

“I’m sorry, ” Lance mumbled barely above a whisper, “I shouldn’t have run off like that and worried all of you.” Lance’s voice was barely stronger at the end, but still weak. 

“Lance, don’t you dare apologize, just… just please let us know what is going on. What were those memories? What happened to you?” Keith probed, slightly irritated at Lance looking so weak, just wanting him to go back to being strong-willed and standing tall. Seeing him hunched over was painful.

“Those were my past. I was flying, I was climbing, and I was searching.” 

“What is climbing? Is that what you were doing on that cliff?” Pidge asked, curiosity piqued. 

“Climbing is something the old humans used to do. It is where you take your hands and feet and use those to grab onto rocks and such, and leverage yourself higher. It is really fun.”

“Yeah, but why climb when you have wings Lance? What were you searching for in that last memory? Why was there fire and rain?”

“I was searching for one of my family members, that memory was from the day when our house burnt down. I was… I was looking for Veronica. She didn’t make it out in time, none of them did. That happened about 3 years before I joined the Garrison. It rained a lot that day, but the fire was really big. Sometimes all the rain in the world isn’t enough to smother some embers. I learned to climb to help me get by after that” Lance explained, tears dotting his vision at the painful memory.

“But, you have wings, Lance. Why have we never seen them, after all, they looked so beautiful in that first memory so you weren’t born without them or anything. Do you…” Allura paused, unsure if the humans agreed with her thinking process, “Do you not trust us after all of this time?”

“NO! No, no, that is not it at all. I just… I don’t like to have my wings out, okay?” Despite how unlikely it might’ve seen, Lance managed to curl in further on himself, head burying itself in his lap.

“There has to be a reason, Lance. Like, I understand not showing your wings to someone after being in the Garrison and it becoming a more private thing, but seriously!? It has been 3 god damn years Lance and you can’t get out of your fucking head long enough to gain any trust for us! I thought I was the secluded one, but obviously, you just wanted to take the cake didn’t you!?” Keith yelled at Lance, wings bristled out in anger, upset beyond easy comprehension.

Lance looked scared and surprised, eyes tearing up more at the outburst. He knew people wouldn’t really understand why he was the way he was, but he thought that they would, at the very least, have some compassion.

“KEITH!Get yourself under control, NOW!” Shiro yelled, trying to get Keith back in line.

“No Shiro! The sooner Lance learns that a team needs to have some semblance of trust in one another, the better! What if someone gets hurt because Lance’s ego is too far up his ass? What then Shiro?”

“Guys, can we please stop? Keith, there is no need to be harsh, I am sure Lance has his reasons for doing what he does, right Lance?” Hunk spoke up and turned around to see that Lance was not there. In fact, Lance was planning to not be there ever again if he could. See, Lance McClain was running through the halls of the castleship, tears dotting his eyes, towards the hangers. He turned corner after corner, slowing to a walk once he was sufficiently far from his team.

He tried, he really did. He didn’t want the team to fight like that because he couldn’t show them his wings. He was even trying to explain himself to the rest of the team, planning to let them know the truth. However, that was obviously not meant to be. So Lance figured that since he caused this divide in the team, that he would remove it. He would remove himself from the team, so that they could continue to save the universe, and potentially find the true blue paladin. Lance was obviously not them, or else the team would not be so divided. 

Before he left he needed to make a couple stops. Pushing himself back into a run, Lance made a quick run to his room. The second that he got there, he tore off his paladin armor and threw it on the bed. He went to his closet and found the clothes that he was wearing when he first wound up in space. Putting them on over his flight suit, he grabbed his shoes from the floor and put them on as well. He looked one last time at the worn armor on the bed, taking in the sight. There wasn’t much to his room, the armor the only identifier that anyone had been there.

Lance closed the door and stepped into the corridor. He took a breath to steel himself and closed his eyes, focusing on listening. He heard distant steps, but he was fast, so they wouldn’t catch up easily. Hopefully, they wouldn’t catch up at all. Taking one more deep breath, he ran as fast as he could, heart pounding in his ears, body screaming at him to slow and stop. Lance couldn’t afford to listen to himself though. 

Lance had one destination before he left, the library, as arbitrary as that stop may sound. He hid a bag in there, for the very reason that if the true blue paladin came and he was booted. He darted between books and shelves, heading to the back corner of the room. He kept this bag here so that it wouldn’t be found on the off chance by someone looking in his room. Reaching the back corner, Lance pried up the tile and grabbed the small, black bag.

Shouldering the bag, all he had to do was leave. Once again, Lance ran as hard as he could, breathing heavily, legs burning, heart pounding, and stomach aching. He ran past the point where he felt he couldn’t anymore. He reached the entrance to the hangers and stopped for a millisecond, preparing for his first step away. He went inside and saw the emergency pods all on the other side of the hangar. Growling quickly filled his head. BLUE!

“Stay my paladin, you belong here, they will understand.” She pushed into his mind. 

“You deserve to be with the proper paladin, the true blue paladin. I am just a placeholder” He spoke back with sadness biting his voice, tears dotting his eyes. Blue roared loudly, causing Lance to fall to the ground in pain from the mental connection. 

“You are my paladin, I WILL NOT TAKE ANOTHER!” She was angry and sad that her paladin felt the way he did.

“I am sorry Blue,” Lance said quickly and darted to the pod. Once there he tossed everything inside and did his best to ignore Blue’s complaints. He readied the pod and opened the hangar door, pushing the pod to move through. Outside he saw black, infinite dark, with the speckling of stars. Then he saw a flash of color, of blue. It was Blue. Her eyes glowed a fierce yellow, and maw open to grab the pod. Lance tried to maneuver out of her way but was soon in a slightly crushed pod inside of Blue.

“Let me out Blue, let me go, you don’t need a useless paladin, you need someone who can do you justice. Just… let me leave, just let me leave and die… please, Blue.” Lance’s eyes were tear-filled and his voice cracked.

“You know that I can not do that my child, stay here and be the one to do me justice because I will not replace you, or allow you to leave me.”

“But Blue, I am just a boy from Cuba, a seventh wheel, I am useless.”

“You very much aren’t, and now you shall face your team, and they will be understanding, believe me on this young one” With that Lance sat and closed his eyes, terrified at what they might think of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that you guys enjoyed this chapter! Have a nice day, and feedback is always appreciated.


	3. UPDATE: I AM STILL ALIVE

Hey Y'all,

I know that you have been waiting for a while for me to update, and I am sorry about that. I don't really have any excuses other than a massive writer's block. I plan to update with the final chapter by the end of February and hopefully you can all enjoy it. Thank you for being patient and for all of the lovely comments! I am genuinely happy every time I get feedback because it means that some of you are enjoying what I do. Feel free to continue to leave comments to tell me anything you might want to. If you have any requests for future fics, let me know! Had a baby, let me know! Just wanna tell me a really bad pun, let me know! I love hearing from y'all, and hopefully this next chapter will be up soon.

**Author's Note:**

> Well, that was interesting. Hope you enjoyed! Should update soon-ish.


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